Electrical terminal



Feb. 14, 1950 F. A. WOOD 2,497,484

' ELECTRICAL TERMINAL Filed Feb. 19, 1947 Fig.1

Fig. 5

FRANK A. W000 INVENTOR.

HIS ATTORNEY m mm 4 Patented Feb. 14,v 1950 ELECTRICAL TERMINAL Frank A. Wood, Elmhurst, n1, ascignor to Zenith Radio Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Application February 19, 1947, Serial No. 129,539

2 Claims. (Cl. 173-868) This invention relates to electrical terminals and has for an object the provision of an improved electrical terminal which is inexpensive to manufacture, simple to utilize and effective in the performance of its function.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention itself, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with accompanying drawings in which: I

Figure 1 is a front view of one embodiment of the present invention;

' Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the device of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modification of the device of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

In Figures 1 and 2, a coil form 5 has an integrally formed collar 8 having a rectangular slot I therein for the passage therethrough of a terminal 8.

As the coil'form shown in Figure 1 is of the endmolded type, the slot 1 in the collar 6 is easily and economically formed in the molding operation.

In Figure3, in detail, the terminal 8 includes a dished-in or U-channel portion 9 and an upstanding barb lll. A securing leg ll of the terminal 8 has suitable notches H to facilitate the wrapping and soldering of a coil lead (not shown) A positioning-leg l3, adjacent to the securing leg I I, is likewise provided with notches ll to facilitate the wrapping and soldering necessary to incorporate the coil lead in any desired electrical circuit.

In mounting the terminal 8 in the collar 6 of the coil form 5, the securing leg II is inserted into the slot I and, by finger pressure of the operator, is pressed into a tightly locked position.

As shown in Figure 2, the dished-in portion 9 of the terminal 8 cooperates with the lower edge of theslot 1 to force the upper edges of the open U-shaped channel against the upper edge of the slot I by reason of the inherent spring acterminals presently being described are of extremely small mass and light in weight, such an engagement of the upper edges of the open U- shaped channel with the upper edge of the slot I. is sumcient to prevent any movement of the terminal 8 normal to its longitudinal axis. Such a relationship between the terminal and the slot allows for a relatively large tolerance on the width dimension of the slot. That is to saysnug anchorage of the terminal in its slot is not dependent upon the width of the slot and hence the tolerance on the width dimension can be held positive to provide ample working tolerance.

Likewise. but to a somewhat-lesser degree. the tolerance onthe height dimension of the slot 1 can be relatively liberal in both the plus and minus directions because slight variations in the height dimension are. compensated for by the inherent spring action, or resiliency, of the open U-shaped channel of the dished-in portion I.

In Figure 1, the securing leg I I of the terminal 8 is threaded through the slot 1 and pushed through the slotto a point where its positioning leg I! abuts the left side of the collar 8. At this point, the upstanding barb HI is no longer depressed by the upper edge of the slot 1 and, by reason of its inherent resiliency, pops up slightly to resist any longitudinal backward movement of the terminal 8 in the slot I.

The abutting of the positioning le it of the terminal 8 against the left side of the collar 8 and the abutting of the upstanding barb l0 against the right side of the collar 6, plus the engagement of the upper edges of the open U- shaped channel of the dished-in portion 9 against the upper edge of the slot I, results in the terminal being locked against movement in any direction in the coil form 5.

While the terminal 8 is shown locked in place in the collar 8 of the coil form 5, it is the intention to cover the use of this type of terminal in any insulation having sutlicient thickness to adequately engage and support the dished-in portion of the terminal. Of course, the terminal can be designed to cooperate fully with insulation of various thicknesses.

In Figure 4, which is one modification of this terminal arrangement, a shear-formed portion I5 is substituted for the dished-in portion 8 illustrated in Figure 3.

In the sectional view Figure 5, the sheariormed portion l5, by reason of its resiliency, acts upon the bounds of a slot, similar to the slot I tion of the metal in the terminal. Since the in Figure 2. to hold the terminal 8 tightly in its slot without up and down play.

The dished -in portion 9 of Figure 3 is preferred in particularly small terminals because'it is easier to form. Also, relatively light gage metals are used in these small terminals. the portion 8,

3 being dished-in all around, resists the bending down oi the upper edges of the dished-in portion when the terminal is inserted in its slot. a

The shear-formed portion l5 shown in Figures 4 and 5 is preferred in terminals that are appreciably wider and heavier than the terminals shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, because the shearformed portion 15 possesses a stronger restoring force in its resilient action.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. An electrical terminal having a pair of integral legs at an angle to each other, said terminal being mounted in a piece of insulation,

said insulation having a slot therethrough for the passage of one of said legs, said one leg havcooperating to resist movement of said termina in said slot.

2. In combination. an electrical terminal am a support for saidterminal, said terminal havim a pair of legs lying at an angle to each other said support being of an electrical insulating ma terial and having a slot therein for passage 0 one of said legs therethrough, said one leg hav ing a portion intermediate its edges lying in plane substantially spaced from the plane of it edges supported in said slot by resilient frictional engagement with the insulating materia bounding said slot, the other of said legs being disposed on one side of said intermediate portion and a barb being spaced from said other leg am pointing toward the plane oi-said other leg, saiz barb projecting from said securing leg at a distance from said other leg which is substantially equal to the thickness of said insulating materia bounding said slot.

FRANK A. WOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in thi file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

